Rock Chick Reckoning(150)

Lana, I noticed right off, was super comfortable up front at a rock gig. I’d watched as she sung out loud, knowing every song we played (except the three new songs of Buzz and Leo’s, of course). She danced and swayed and let’s just say that Mace’s Mom could move. She was sexy as al get out and I could tel she loved rock and rol .

For Lana, an afternoon of Guitar Hero was definitely the way to go.

On the other hand, it took Chloe awhile to get into it (her favorite music was probably Tchaikovsky too). Stil , The Gypsies were on a tear, it didn’t take very long for her to feel the vibe and let it take her where she needed to go.

The security detail was the same as the other gigs except Hank and Eddie weren’t there because they were dismantling Sidney Carter’s operation. In their place was Indy’s Dad, Tom and Hank, Lee and Al y’s Dad, Malcolm.

Tom and Duke both were close to the stage guarding me and the Rock Chicks.

I’d had just enough time after the reunion   to tel Mace about Dixon Jones and the Chateau Marmont (and to let his smile of approval and his lip touch give me a happy shiver).

Then Chloe and I let him alone with Lana.

In order to give them privacy, instead of hanging backstage with the band as normal, I sat at the bar, drinking beer with the Rock Chicks and Chloe (who didn’t drink beer, she drank martinis, Chloe was one classy lady), talking to some of my fans with Duke plastered to my side until it was time to take the stage.

I was smiling as I sang the “na-na’s”, my arm up in the air, moving back and forth. The crowd caught my rhythm and, as one, their arms moved with mine and they chanted the “na-na’s” with the band.

My eyes slid through the crowd and I saw Luke at the doors, back to the stage, arms crossed on his chest, talking to one of the club’s bouncers.

I kept singing and my eyes kept moving and I saw Mace, standing head and shoulders above the crowd, his eyes were scanning. I waited and, just as I knew it would, his gaze came to me. I didn’t know it but the minute his eyes hit me, my smile grew brighter. I also didn’t know that Lana and Chloe caught my smile and turned around to see what I was smiling at. Further, I didn’t know, when they saw it was Mace, Chloe burst into tears again and Lana hugged her.

Mace’s eyes left me to scan the crowd again and my eyes kept moving, stil singing the “na-na’s”, stil living in my happy place, my lucky place. The place where my band was heading to LA to record an album. The place where I’d chased Mace’s demons away and gave him back his family. The place where I lived now. The place where Mace loved me.

My eyes travel ed the length of the bar and something shifted in that happy place. I couldn’t put my finger on it but something was wrong.

Stil chanting with the crowd, my hand in the air, my eyes went back up the bar.

Then down it.

Then back up.

Then it dawned on me that Tex wasn’t sitting at the bar.

And Tex never brought the tequila.



And Tex never brought the tequila.

Automatical y, the band and I finished the “na-na’s” as my eyes flew through the crowd, searching for but not finding Tex.

Then the band stopped playing and I said into the mic,

“We’re gonna take a break, be back!”

The crowd roared and I gave them a wave and a smile, keeping up appearances but, as fast as I could, I moved offstage.

Duke was there with a beer and he shoved it in my hand.

“Girl, normal y you kick ass but tonight, I gotta tel you darlin’, you are the shit! ” Duke said to me and normal y I would be stunned, maybe even moved by his compliment.

Duke didn’t hand out compliments very often.

Instead I looked up at him and asked, “Where’s Tex?” Duke’s body went stil then his head jerked around to scan the bar.

My band had come down behind me and the Rock Chicks were rounding the stage but I didn’t look at them.

I moved.

I shoved though the crowd. People were trying to get my attention, to stop me, to talk to me. I heard their words as I moved, shoving through until I saw Mace coming my way.

I stopped in front of him, put my hands on his chest and tilted my head back.

He was looking down at me, smiling, face soft, voice low, “Babe –” he started.

I cut him off, “Where’s Tex?”

His head jerked then shot up. He, too, scanned the bar.



My fingers curled into his t-shirt. “When I arrived, he met me at the backdoor. He went off to get me tequila. I haven’t seen him since. With everything that happened, I didn’t think –”

I didn’t finish. Mace’s hand wrapped around mine and he started pushing through the crowd. By the time we got to the side of the stage, the Rock Chicks were looking pale and the Hot Bunch was in a huddle. Lee sliced an unhappy look at Mace and got on his phone.